Applicator



B. S. MINOR Aug. 25, 1942.

APPLI CAT OR l Filed Nov. 2l, 1938 lli.. ...ilk

Patented Aug. 25, 1942 1 l APPLICATOR Burt S. Minor, Whittier, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to B. H. Barnes and Harriet C. Barnes, both of San Marino, Calif.

Application November 21, 1938, Serial No. 241,571

5 Claims.

This invention relates generally to oil Well tools and more particularly to means for applying expansible collars to elongated members having enlarged end portions such as the sucker rods of oil well pumps and drill pipe.

It is the practice to utilize rubber protector members on the drill pipe during drilling of an oil Well. These collars or protectors are slightly larger than the tool joints of the drill pipe and thereby serve to prevent abrasion and wear of the drill pipe and its tool joints as a result of coming in contact with the casing through which the drill pipe extends and rotates. As the tool joints of drill pipe only slightly exceed in diameter the outer diameter of the drill pipe itself, the rubber collars need only be expanded a slight amount in order to slip them over the tool joint and on to the body of the pipe.

It is an object of this invention to provide a means for protecting the sucker rods of oil well pumps by providing them with resilient collars and by providing means for applying these collars to the main body of the rods. The sucker rods are provided at each end with enlarged end portions or coupling members which may be likened to the tool joints of drill pipe except for the fact that the diameter of the enlarged end portions of the sucker rods greatly exceeds the diameter of the main body of the rod, it being nearly three times as great. It is also true that a protector or collar for sucker rods must necessarily have a bore of small diameter and an annular body of relatively great thickness. It is much more diiiicult, therefore, to apply such a collar, which is inherently dificult to expand, to a sucker rod than it is to apply a protector to a drill pipe. In order to apply the expansible resilient collar to a sucker rod it is necessary to expand the collar so that the bore therethrough will accommodate the enlarged end of the rod. The apparatus with which I am familiar which has been used for the application of the protectors to drill pipe is unsuitable for applying collars to the sucker rods for the reason that such devices are not designed to expand a collar of small bore to such large dimensions.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a device which is particularly designed for applying expansible collars to sucker rods which utilizes fluid pressure for expanding the collar and moving it in expanded form over the enlarged end portion of the rod.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a device of the type indicated which is portable and Which is adapted to utilize gas under pressure such as may be generated by a small cylinder of liquid CO2.

While it is a particular object of this invention to provide a device which is designed to apply expansible collars to sucker rods, it is a further n object of this invention to provide such a device which may be utilized for the application of expansible collars to drill pipe or the like.

These and other objects will be apparent from the drawing and the following description thereof. Referring to the drawing, which is for illustrative purposes only;

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the device of this invention mounted on the lower end of a sucker rod;

Fig, 2 is a sectional elevation of the device showing an expansible collar being applied to a sucker rod; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a collar and follower member.

More particularly describing the invention, reference numeral I I generally indicates a sucker rod of an oil well pump. Such rods are ordinarily about thirty feet long and are provided at each end with enlarged end portions generally indicated by reference numeral I3. These enlarged end portions may comprise coupling members such as the internally threaded coupling or box I4 shown at the lower end of the rod. Some rods are provided with a box at each end, some with a pin at each end while other rods are provided with a box at one end such as I4 and a pin at the other end. In all cases, however, an enlarged end portion is provided which greatly exceeds the diameter of the main body of the rod I2 in order to insure strength at the region of juncture with an adjacent rod.

For the purpose of illustration, a protector or expansible collar I5 is shown in place upon the main body of the rod I2. The collars are preferably formed of an oil resistant-synthetic rubber or the like. It may be desirable to mount two or three of these collars along the length of the rod in order-to prevent the rod from coming in to contact with the oil Well tubing in which it reciprocates.

The device of this invention for applying the collars I5 to the rods comprises a mandrel generally indicated by reference numeral I1. This mandrel has a hollow upper end portion I8 which is cylindrical in outer diameter and which is adapted to receive the enlarged end portion I3 of the rod II. Interiorly of the hollow end portion I8 there is provided a threaded stud I9 which is adapted to threadedly engage in the box I-"I, thereby providing means for removably securing the mandrel upon the rod. The mandrel is provided with an intermediate tapered portion 20, substantially frustro-conical in shape, which converges to a stem 2|. This stem 2| is designed to slidably accommodate the protector or collar I5, which has a bore I5 therethrough of substantially the same diameter as the diameter of the stem. The end of the stem is threaded at 22 for a purpose which will later be described.

Cooperating with the mandrel is a barrel member 24 which is provided with a closed lower end 25. This closed lower end 25 is provided with a longitudinal inwardly diverging bore 26 which is adapted to receive the outer end of the stem" 2l. of the mandrel. With this construction the barrel may be mounted on the mandrel and secured thereto by means of a wing nut 2I. In order to. seal the lower end of the barrel a lip 23 isV provided surrounding the bore 26. This lip cooperates with the nut 2'1 and packing member 29 to eiectivelyseal the opening through the lower end of the barrel.

The barrel member is provided with an upper cylindrical internal wall section 30 opposite the upper hollow portion I8 of the mandrel. Below the wall section 39 is a downwardly converging or tapered interior wall section 3 I- which terminates in a second cylindrical inner wall section 32. With this construction there is provided an annular space between the mandrel and the barrel, the cross-sectional area of the space being substantially equivalent to the cross-sectional area of the annular body of the collar I5. In the region of the interior wall section 32 the space between this wall and the stem 2l ofr the mandrel is greater than it is in the region between the interior wall portion 30 and the upper hollow end I8 of the mandrel although the cross-sectional area of the space remains substantially the same at all points throughout its length.

In operation the mandrel is rst secured to the lower end of the sucker rod by threading the mandrel into the box at the end of the sucker rod as shown in Fig. 1. A protector or collar I5l is then slid on to the stem 2I and the barrel slipped over the end of the mandrel until it occupies the position in which it is shown in Fig. 1. The wing nut 21 and packing means 29 are placed on the end of the stem 2I and threaded thereon to close the lower end of the barrel. The collar I5 then cooperates with the barrel to form what may be termed a pressure chamber 34 between the lower end of the collar and the lower end 25 of the barrel. Fitting 35 and passageway 35 are provided for admitting pressure fluid into the chamber 34.

When the wing nut 2'I has been firmly secured in place pressure fluid is admitted to the chamber 3/3. This fluid forces the collar I5 outwardly over the intermediate portion 2E! of the mandrel as shown in Fig. 2, thereby expanding the collar and forcing it over and beyond the hollow end portion I8 of the mandrel until the collar is forced on to the main body of the sucker rod as shown in Fig. 1 at the upper portion of the drawing.

To insure the collar effectively sealing the space between the mandrel and the inner wall of the barrel at all points along its travel through the length of the barrel, it is preferable to provide the collar with an annular groove 38 which is positioned in spaced relation with the lower end of the collar. An annular recess 39 is provided in the lower end of the collar thereby forming an annular lip 40. 'I'he recess 39 and groove 38 permit the expansion of and deflection of lip 0.0 of the collar I5 out beyond the main body of the collar as shown in Fig. 2 into engagement with the barrel and thereby insures the sealing of the space and the prevention of pressure fluid escaping past the collar.

After the protector has been mounted upon the sucker rod, the lower end portion below the groove 38 may be removed by cutting the same from the main body of the collar if desirable.

As indicated above, fluid pressure is utilized to secure the necessary power for applying the collars-tor the rods; In this connection it should be pointed out that the device of the invention is particularly adaptable for operation by gas under pressure; such as CO2. The use of CO2 gas is advantageous for the reason that it is portable as a liquid in cylinders and thereby eliminates the'necessityY for a pump capable of providing a liquid at' the necessarypressure` where it-is desired to use the applicator. Fur-- thermore, after use the'gas escapes into the'air and does not contaminate the derrick oorand@ surrounding objects as would be the case where a pressure liquid is used.

In Fig. 3 there is shown a protector orf collar Ia which is not provided with any' groove-o1. recess at its lower end. This collar may be-best applied to the sucker rod by'utilizing a followen member 52. This follower is provided with af. recess 39 in all respects similar to the'recessfSS; of the collar I5 and is provided' with'anupper bevelled face 2.` Irl-operation the follower` mem` ber is positioned on the stem 2-I immediately` be-` low the collar I5 and takes theY place oi the'l lower end portion of the collar I5;

While I have showni and describedmy invention as` designed in its application for a particular purpose. itis understood that it is intendedA that the scope of. the invention is' not to` be' so limited but shall include such modications as` come within the scope of the appended claims;

I` claim as my invention:

1. An applicator for mounting an annular expansible `collar on an elongated memberhaving an enlarged end, comprising: a mandrel adapted to t over the enlargedI end of saidmember, said mandrel having -a collar receiving)V portion' and" an intermediate divergent .portion to'expand the collar: a barrel removably attached to and surrounding said mandrel, said' barrel cooperating with said mandrel to form a sleeve-likeA pistonv chamber varying in size but of approximately thel same 'cross sectional areaat all points along its length through which the collar may move in the act of expanding the same; and means fon introducingy fluid under pressure into. said barrel behind a collar on said collar receiving means to Ieause said collar to' move like a piston in the 'act of expanding the collar and applying it to the elongated member.

2. An apparatus for applying protectors to drill pipes comprising an inner guide member having- `a tapered portion adapted to expand they protector to `clear theY enlargement of the drill pipe and having a further portion for carrying the same to the desired position, an outer member cooperating with said guide member to formV a piston like chamber through which the protector may move in the act of applying the same tothe drill pipe, andl means forintroducing fluidy pressure below a yprotector in said piston chamber causing the protector to move like a piston in the act of expanding the protector and applying thesame to the drill pipe.

3. An apparatus for applying a protector sleeve lar protectors to an elongate member having enlargements iat its ends .comprising an inner guide means including a mandrel having a hollow cylindrical section to receive :and fit over the enlargement at one end of the elongate member, having a protector accommodating portion of reduced diameter, and having an intenmediate tapered protector expanding portion; an outer barrel .cooperating with said guide means to form a sleevelike chamber through which the protector may move in the act of expanding and applying the same to the elongate member; means for detachably securing the barrel to the guide means, said means being remote from the member to which the protector is to be applied; and means for applying fluid pressure to a protector on said protector accommodating .portion of said mandrel to c'ause the protector to move like a piston through said sleeve-like chamber and sbe expanded and applied to the elongate member.

5. An apparatus for applying expansible annular protectors to an elongate member having enlargements at its ends comprising an inner guide means including a mandrel having `a hollow cylindrical section to receive and t over the enlargement at one end of the elongate member, having ,an intermediate tapered lprotector expanding portion, and having a stem beyond said intenmediate portion of sufficiently reduced diameter to iaccommodate an unexpanded protector thereon; an outer barrel cooperating with said guide means to form a sleeve-like piston chamber through which the protector may move in the act of eX- panding and applying the salme to the elongate member, said barrel lbeing open at one end land having its other end closed except for an opening of limited size to receive the outer end of the stem of the mandrel; cooperative means on said stem and said barrel for detachably securing the parts together and sealing the adjacent end of the barrel; and means for applying uid pressure between the sealed end of the barrel and a protector on said stem to cause the protector to lmove like a piston through said chamber and be expanded and applied to the elongate member.

BURT S. MINOR. 

